Maple Syrup Final

Well, I got the first batch done... I only used about half the syrup I collected, and I actually still have about a gallon of half reduced (so it throws off the math) before I ran out of charcoal.

Next year, I'll do it properly with steel pans over a brick oven burning cheap wood. But for now, it was an interesting psudo-success.

I had used charcoal this time because I didn't have enough wood or the time to chop more or the time to build the oven or keep it fed. Charcoal was something i could just top up ever couple hours while I worked on more important tasks. The three 16lb bags of charcoal cost 8 dollars each.

After getting the many gallons down to a small enough amount to fit in a pot, I finished up in my kitchen.

The time between the first hydrometer test and the second was less than 20 min, so I was glad I was watching it closely.

The final syrup had a very dark color and I wonder if that came from the charcoal? Maybe it was a terrible idea.

The final flavor is smokey sweet. I have tasted it on a spoon, but not had a chance for pancakes yet. ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UvJWaBtkeVY